Easy-to-use fisheye lens PENTAX Q 03 FISH EYE
A review and sample photos using 03 Fisheye with the PENTAX Q7 and Q10.
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Table of contents
Gallery
The example photos were taken with a Pentax Q10 and Q7.
Review
1．Overview
The 03 fisheye lens for the Pentax Q has a focal length of 3.2mm, which translates to an 18mm focal length in 35mm format for the Q and Q10, and a 17mm fisheye lens for the Q7 and Q-S1.
The 35mm equivalent values for the Q7 and Q-S1 differ from those calculated based on the sensor size, but this lens was released during the Q era and its image circle does not cover a 1/1.7 sensor, so the camera crops it to a usable size. Raw images generated by the Q10 are 12 megapixels at 4000×3000 resolution, while raw images generated by the Q7 are cropped to a resolution of 3629×2722, approximately 10% smaller. However, JPG images from the Q7 are saved at 4000×3000 resolution, confirming that the resolution is compensated for by in-camera image processing.
Unique lenses were released to supplement a company’s limited lens lineup and are designed to be affordable. This lens is no exception, with a simple design featuring a plastic mount, a fixed F5.6 aperture, and no mechanical shutter, but the lens construction of 5 groups and 6 elements appears to be well designed.
2．Usability
Like the other three unique lenses, the 03 fisheye lens for Pentax Q has near and far focus positions, with the far position being over-infinity rather than infinity.
If you’re shooting landscapes and thinking that the far position will be fine, shooting at the far position will result in a blurry photo.
At f/5.6, it’s not narrow enough to be called pan focus, so you need to focus on the intended subject. Despite its relaxed lens concept, this lens is somewhat contradictory in that it requires precise focusing.
When the focus is properly adjusted, it produces a reasonably sharp image.
This lens also does not perform any internal processing when capturing JPGs, and both Raw and JPG images are recorded without correction.
Because the Pentax Q series does not have mechanical shutters on the camera itself, this and other unique lens series lenses use the sensor’s shutter for shooting.
3．Summary
In conclusion, to sum up the 03 fisheye lens for the Pentax Q, it is a relatively inexpensive lens among the Pentax Lens series as of 2025, and it is worth purchasing for the list price of around 6,000 yen.
Specification
| Items | 03 | 04 | 05 | 07 |
| Focal length(mm) | 3.2 | 6.3 | 18 | 11.5 |
| Q10 35mm equivalent focal length | 18 | 35 | 99 | 63 |
| Q7 35mm equivalent focal length | 16.5(15) *2 | 33(29) *2 | 94(83) *2 | 53(53) |
| Max aperture | 5.6 | 7.1 | 8 | 9 |
| Leaf blade | – | – | – | – |
| Lens Construction | 6elements in 5 groups | 4elements in 3 groups | 3elements in 3 groups | 1elements in 1 groups |
| Min distance(m) | 0.09 | 0.07 | 0.27 | 0.3 |
| Lens length(mm) | 30.5 | 25 | 19.5 | 6.9 |
| Max diameter(mm) | 40.6 | 40.6 | 40.6 | 40.8 |
| Filter Size(mm) | – | – | – | – |
| Weight(g) | 29 | 21 | 18 | 8 |
| Release date | August 31, 2011 | ← | ← | July 2013 |
| Price(Yen) | 6,560- | 4,620- | 4,490- | 2,220- |
Reference links
- 03 FISH EYE Official page
- 04 TOY LENS WIDE Official page
- 05 TOY LENS TELEPHOTO Official page
- 07 MOUNT SHEILD Official page
Affiliate link
Update history
- 2025.8.24
- 2024.07.26